Cell suspension cultures of Taxus chinensis, supplemented with 25 g sucrose l(-1), produced 11 mg cephalomanine l(-1),21 g biomass l(-1) and 19 nkat geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) synthase activity g protein(-1). Supplementation of the cultures with 100 muM methyl jasmonate (MJA) produced 17 mg cephalomanine l(-1), 6 g biomass l(-1) and 78 nkat GGPP synthase activity g protein(-1). Addition of sucrose and MJA together produced 24 mg cephalomanine l(-1), 18 g biomass l(-1) and 55 nkat GGPP synthase activity g protein(-1).